Bob said:
What is the difference between a hub, router and switch? I have seen the
terms used interchangeably, but then also seen them used as if they are
distinct items...
For a basic networking solution these devices have similar
functionality.
But their working principles are different. Hub and switch (aka
switching hub)
can be grouped to the same category.
On a network with hub, when a pc needs to communicate to another pc,
it send a packet of data to the port to which it physically connected.
When this packet reaches this port, the port copies or forwards this
packet of data to all other ports. so all other devices connected to
the hub can see this packet.
But a switch replaced with a hub do the job intelligently. It learns
the receiving packet to know the destination port and it forwards the
packet only to that port. In this way multiple communications can be
done at the same time because other ports are free. So switch is fast
and more efficient.
Router is used to connect 2 or more LANs or to break a large network
into small network groups. for a large network split with router there
may be more than one router in the network, routers can communicate
each other to know the routes to reach a computer.
Hopes this will clarify the difference.
Saifudheen.